Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Wednesday filing

4th CD Dem Maske tops Day 3 filing

The first federal candidate qualified for the June 8 primary ballot today, as 4th District Democrat Bill Maske turned in his nomination paperwork. Maske is expected to face GOP incumbent Tom Latham in November.

Other than Maske, all of the Day 3 action was in the Iowa House.

It's a rematch in Buchanan County's House 23. Democrat Gene Ficken knocked off GOP incumbent Dan Rasmussen by 759 votes in a high-profile 2008 race. Now Rasmussen's on the comeback trail.

Two Republicans filed in House District 6 (Spencer and greater metropolitan Okoboji), where GOP incumbent Mike May is stepping down. Okoboji banker Jeff Smith and Spirit Lake student Zach Whiting are the two names in the ring. Democrat Greg Stevens barely held onto this seat in 2002, winning by 64 votes and with less than 50% in a three way race. May finished him off in 2004 and was unopposed after that.

Rudd mayor Craig Clark, a Republican, filed in Mitchell-Floyd based House District 14, where Democrat Mark Kuhn is stepping down to run for his old job on the Floyd County Board of Supervisors.

Sioux City is open seat central with Democrats Wes Whitead and Roger Wendt stepping down, and GOP ex-speaker Chris Rants leaving for his now-over race for Governor. Former school board member Ron Jorgensen filed today in Rants' old House 54 seat.

Investor Mark Lofgren is the latest Republican challenger in Muscatine's House District 80, held by three-term Democrat Nathan Reichert. It was a big deal in 2004 when Reichert upset my old opponent Barry Brauns (who was attempting both a comeback and a district change). Reichert was a target in 2006 and 2008 but seems to be settling into a blue-trending district.

In House 11 (Worth Winnebago and part of Hancock), Democrat Anne Marie Fairchild is challenging incumbent Henry Rayhons again; she polled 43% two years ago.

Incumbents filing Wednesday were Sharon Steckman (D-Mason City) in House 13, Kevin Koester (R-Ankeny) in District 70, and Rich Arnold (R-Russell) in House 72.